Endoscopic Therapy With Lumen-apposing Metal Stents Is Safe and Effective for Patients With Pancreatic Walled-off Necrosis.

BACKGROUND & AIMS: Endoscopic ultrasound-guided transmural drainage and necrosectomy have become the standard treatment for patients with pancreatic walled-off necrosis (WON). Lumen-apposing metal stents (LAMS) have shown success in the management of pancreatic fluid collections. However, there are few data on their specific roles in management of WON. We investigated the efficacy and safety of LAMS in treatment of WON. METHODS: We performed a retrospective multicenter case series of 124 patients with WON who underwent endoscopic transmural drainage by using LAMS at 17 tertiary care centers from January 2014 through May 2015. Patients underwent endoscopic ultrasound-guided cystogastrostomy or cystoenterostomy with placement of an LAMS into the WON collection. At the discretion of the endoscopist, we performed direct endoscopic necrosectomy, irrigation with hydrogen peroxide, and/or nasocystic drain placement. We performed endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography with pancreatic duct stent placement when indicated. Concomitant therapies included direct endoscopic debridement (n = 78), pancreatic duct stent placement for leak (n = 19), hydrogen peroxide-assisted necrosectomy (n = 38), and nasocystic irrigation (n = 22). We collected data for a median time of 4 months (range, 1-34 months) after the LAMS placement. The primary outcomes were rates of technical success (successful placement of the LAMS), clinical success (resolution of WON, on the basis of image analysis, without need for further intervention via surgery or interventional radiology), and adverse events. RESULTS: The median size of the WON was 9.5 cm (range, 4-30 cm). Eight patients had 2 LAMS placed for multiport access, all with technical success (100%). Clinical success was achieved in 107 patients (86.3%) after 3 months of follow-up. Thirteen patients required a percutaneous drain, and 3 required a surgical intervention to manage their WON. The stents remained patent in 94% of patients (117 of 124) and migrated in 5.6% of patients (7 of 124). The median number of endoscopic interventions was 2 (range, 1-9 interventions). CONCLUSIONS: On the basis of a retrospective analysis of 124 patients, endoscopic therapy of WON by using LAMS is safe and effective. Creation of a large and sustained cystogastrostomy or cystoenterostomy tract is effective in the drainage and treatment of WON.

Osteoprotegerin: A novel biomarker for inflammatory bowel disease and gastrointestinal carcinoma.

Osteoprotegerin (OPG) is a member of the tumor necrosis factor receptor superfamily of proteins. Although initial data illustrated the key role that OPG plays in bone turnover, numerous recent reports indicate that OPG is also an important factor in inflammatory pathways and tumor cell survival. OPG contributes directly to inflammatory processes and has been evaluated as a novel non-invasive biomarker of gut inflammation. Furthermore, OPG affects cell turn-over, differentiation, death, and survival via extracellular pathways, correlating with worse prognosis in inflammatory bowel diseases and several gastrointestinal carcinomas. It is now clear that OPG has multiple functions and characteristics. This review gives an overview of OPG, highlights its roles in different extracellular pathways, and outlines how OPG could be used as a novel non-invasive biological marker in inflammatory bowel diseases and gastrointestinal carcinomas.

Celiac disease presenting as severe osteopenia.

The authors describe a unique presentation of celiac disease as multiple non-traumatic fractures in a young male without gastrointestinal complaints. A 29-year-old man presented with back pain and was found to have a non-traumatic compression fracture of the lumbar and thoracic spine on plain X-ray. Dual-energy x-ray absorptiometry (DXA) confirmed osteoporosis at the L3/L4 vertebral bodies. Parathyroid hormone (PTH), calcium, and vitamin D levels were normal. He had no gastrointestinal complaints, but serologic studies were positive to include an elevated gliadin IgA Ab, gliadin IgG Ab, and an elevated tissue transglutaminase IgA Ab. He was treated with a gluten-free diet, calcium, and vitamin D supplementation as well as teriparatide. Follow up bone density showed improvement and has no further fractures to date. Primary care physicians, gastroenterologists, and endocrinologists must have a high index of clinical suspicion for celiac disease in any patient who presents with low bone density regardless of the serum 25-OH vitamin D levels or presence of gastrointestinal complaints.

A Pilot Study of the Effect of Green Kiwifruit on Human Intestinal Fermentation Measured by Hydrogen and Methane Breath Testing.

We investigated the impact of the ingestion of two green kiwifruit (Actinidia deliciosa var. Hayward) and one Royal Gala apple on breath hydrogen and methane production in humans. Consumption of two green kiwifruit led to no evidence of carbohydrate malabsorption (0/20), whereas consumption of one apple was associated with carbohydrate malabsorption in 6/20 participants (P = .008). There were no significant differences in the area under the curve for hydrogen or methane breath concentrations after consumption of the two fruits. Rates of lactose and fructose breath tests in this cohort were within expected parameters. Green kiwifruit are not associated with clinically significant carbohydrate malabsorption compared with apples in this pilot study.

Syphilitic hepatitis uncommon presentation of an old scourge.

BACKGROUND: Giant cell hepatitis is a rare entity in adults, accounting for 0.1% to 0.25% of liver disease in adults. Postinfantile giant cell hepatitis is often characterized by multinucleated giant cells on liver biopsy and a fulminant hepatitis. CASE REPORT: An active duty 36-year-old African-American male deployed to Kabul, Afghanistan, presented with jaundice 2 weeks after starting a testosterone analogue. He discontinued the supplement, but his jaundice persisted with up-trending bilirubin. Serologic testing was negative for hepatitis A, B, C, and E; cytomegalovirus; Epstein-Barr virus; herpes simplex virus; and human immunodeficiency virus. Evaluation for autoimmune hepatitis was negative. Magnetic resonance cholangiopancreatography was negative for obstruction. Liver biopsy revealed giant cell transformation of numerous hepatocytes and cholestatic hepatitis. Rapid plasma reagin was positive without physical findings. Treponema pallidum hemagglutination assays confirmed the diagnosis of latent syphilis. He was started on penicillin treatment with rapid improvement of bilirubin, creatinine, and hepatic synthetic function, all of which eventually normalized. CONCLUSION: Postinfantile giant cell hepatitis is a severe form of hepatitis that has several different potential etiologies, 2 of which were present in this patient: androgenic supplements and infection. This case highlights syphilis as an unusual but treatable cause of giant cell hepatitis. Testing for syphilis should be considered in any persistent liver injury.

Anti-gliadin antibodies identify celiac patients overlooked by tissue transglutaminase antibodies.

For patients with suspected celiac disease, the American Gastroenterological Association recommends initial screening with anti-tissue transglutaminase antibody (tTG) and confirmation testing with small bowel biopsy. However, at Tripler Army Medical Center we routinely screen patients with both tTG and anti-gliadin antibodies (AGA) in combination. The purpose of this study was to evaluate whether this dual screening method adds to the evaluation of patients with suspected celiac disease or results in more false-positive results than tTG screening alone. A retrospective chart review of all tTG and AGA screening serologies at Tripler Army Medical Center between September 2008 and March 2012 was performed. For patients with positive serologic testing, small bowel biopsy results or reasoning for deferring biopsy were investigated. tTG was found to have a higher positive predictive value for celiac disease than AGA, however AGA identified 5 patients (19% of biopsy confirmed celiac disease) that had a negative tTG and would not have been identified by tTG screening alone. Using AGA in combination with tTG should be considered if the goal of screening is to identify all patients with celiac disease, with the understanding that this strategy will generate more false positive tests and result in additional patients undergoing small bowel biopsy.